Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson (born 5 April 1989), better known by her stage name Lily James, is an English actress. She played Lady Rose Aldridge in the ITV period drama Downton Abbey, and the titular role in the 2015 Disney film Cinderella. In 2017 she played Debora, the love interest of the main character Baby, in the action filmBaby Driver.
James began her professional acting career as Ethel Brown in the 2010 BBC production Just William. In 2011 and 2012, she earned warm reviews in several London theatre productions. She began to appear in Hollywood films in 2012, with roles in Wrath of the Titans, Fast Girls and Baby Driver, and in television roles such as Countess Natasha Rostova in the 2016 BBC historical drama series War & Peace.
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Early life
Lily James was born in Esher, Surrey, England, the daughter of Ninette (née Mantle), an actress, and musician James "Jamie" Thomson. Her grandmother, Helen Horton, was an American actress. She began her education at the Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and subsequently went on to study acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, graduating in 2010.
Career
Her television credits include Ethel Brown in the 2010 BBC production of Richmal Crompton's Just William, Poppy in the fourth series of ITV's Secret Diary of a Call Girl (2011), and the rebellious Lady Rose in the last episode of series three of Downton Abbey. Lady Rose later became a main character in the fourth and fifth series of the programme. James also appeared as Lady Rose in the series finale.
In 2011, James played Taylor at the Young Vic Theatre in Tanya Ronder's stage adaptation of the novel Vernon God Little directed by Rufus Norris, Nina in Russell Bolam's modern adaptation of The Seagull at Southwark Playhouse, and Desdemona in Daniel Evans's production of Othello at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, alongside Dominic West and Clarke Peters. Quentin Letts wrote in The Daily Mail: "We may have a new star actress on our hands. ... She left drama school only last year, yet she practically sweeps all before her as Desdemona in this Othello. Poise, diction, allure – she has them all. ... Her character’s love affair with a much older husband is completely believable."
In 2012, James played the role of Katrina in Play House and Marijka in Definitely the Bahamas in a double-bill written and directed by Martin Crimp at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond, London as part of the theatre's fortieth anniversary. Charles Spencer of The Telegraph wrote that "it is performed with a persuasive mixture of mischief and deeper feeling by Obi Abili and Lily James, the latter combining a mixture of neuroticism and glowing sexual allure that proves extraordinarily potent". James played the role of Korrina in the Warner Brothers film Wrath of the Titans and starred in Fast Girls, written by Noel Clarke, centered around a group of young female athletes competing in the World Championships.
James played the titular character in the 2015 live-action Disney film Cinderella. The film was released on 13 March 2015. James was photographed by Annie Leibovitz as Cinderella, in the blue gown her character wears to the ball, for the December 2014 issue of Vogue. James also made her singing debut in the film's end credits, covering "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from the 1950 animated film.
In 2016, she returned to television in the 2016 BBC historical drama series War & Peace, playing the character of Natasha Rostova. She also starred in her second major film, playing the role of Elizabeth Bennet in the action-horror filmPride and Prejudice and Zombies, a parody of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It received mixed reviews and failed to break even at the box office. James played the role of Juliet in the Garrick Theatre's production of Romeo and Juliet directed by Rob Ashford and actor-director Kenneth Branagh in 2016.
In 2017 she played Debora, the love interest of the main character Baby, in the action film Baby Driver, and starred in the World War II drama The Exception, playing the role of a British agent posing as a servant to the exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II. James is set to portray the younger version of Donna Sheridan in the sequel to Mamma Mia!, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!
Personal life
James's father died from cancer in 2008; she has said that filming father/daughter scenes in Cinderella was therefore very emotional for her.
Filmography
Actress
-
Providence (post-production)
-
Relay (post-production) as
Sarah
2023
Finalmente l'alba (post-production) as
Josephine Esperanto
-
The Iron Claw (completed)
2022
What's Love Got to Do with It? as
Zoe Stevenson
2022
BareFace: A Night of Mistakes (Short) as
Critic
2022
Pam & Tommy (TV Mini Series) as
Pamela Anderson / Pamela Anderson Lee
- Seattle (2022) - Pamela Anderson Lee
- Destroyer of Worlds (2022) - Pamela Anderson Lee
- Pamela in Wonderland (2022) - Pamela Anderson
- Uncle Jim and Aunt Susie in Duluth (2022) - Pamela Anderson
- The Master Beta (2022) - Pamela Anderson
- Jane Fonda (2022) - Pamela Anderson
- I Love You, Tommy (2022) - Pamela Anderson
- Drilling and Pounding (2022) - Pamela Anderson
2021
Beauty and the Beast: A Comic Relief Pantomime for Christmas (TV Movie) as
Rose
2021
The Pursuit of Love (TV Mini Series) as
Linda Radlett
- Episode Three (2021) - Linda Radlett
- Episode Two (2021) - Linda Radlett
- Episode One (2021) - Linda Radlett
2021
The Dig as
Peggy Piggott
2020
Rebecca as
Mrs. de Winter
2019
Rare Beasts as
Cressida
2019
Yesterday as
Ellie Appleton
2019
One Red Nose and a Wedding (TV Short) as
Miranda
2019
All About Eve as
Eve Harrington
2018
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again as
Young Donna
2018
Little Woods as
Deb
2018
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society as
Juliet Ashton
2018
Sorry to Bother You as
Detroit's White British Voice (voice)
2017
Darkest Hour as
Elizabeth Layton
2017
Baby Driver as
Debora
2016
The Tale of Thomas Burberry (Short) as
Betty
2016
The Exception as
Mieke de Jong
2016
Branagh Theatre Live: Romeo and Juliet as
Juliet
2016
War & Peace (TV Mini Series) as
Natasha Rostova
- Episode #1.6 (2016) - Natasha Rostova
- Episode #1.5 (2016) - Natasha Rostova
- Episode #1.4 (2016) - Natasha Rostova
- Episode #1.3 (2016) - Natasha Rostova
- Episode #1.2 (2016) - Natasha Rostova
- Episode #1.1 (2016) - Natasha Rostova
2016
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies as
Elizabeth Bennet
2012
Downton Abbey (TV Series) as
Lady Rose MacClare
- Christmas Special (2015) - Lady Rose MacClare
- A Moorland Holiday (2014) - Lady Rose MacClare
- The London Season (2013) - Lady Rose MacClare
- A Journey to the Highlands (2012) - Lady Rose MacClare
2015
Burnt as
Sara
2015
Cinderella as
Cinderella
2013
Silent Treatment (Short) as
The Girl
2012
Fast Girls as
Lisa Temple
2012
Broken as
Older Skunk
2012
Wrath of the Titans as
Korrina
2012
Chemistry (Short) as
Ines
2011
Secret Diary of a Call Girl (TV Series) as
Poppy
- Episode #4.8 (2011) - Poppy
- Episode #4.7 (2011) - Poppy
- Episode #4.6 (2011) - Poppy
- Episode #4.5 (2011) - Poppy
- Episode #4.4 (2011) - Poppy
- Episode #4.3 (2011) - Poppy
- Episode #4.2 (2011) - Poppy
- Episode #4.1 (2011) - Poppy
2011
Chloe and Will's Hot Date Night (Short) as
Chloe
2010
Just William (TV Series) as
Ethel Brown
- William Holds the Stage (2010) - Ethel Brown
- The School Report (2010) - Ethel Brown
- Parrots for Ethel (2010) - Ethel Brown
- The Sweet Little Girl in White (2010) - Ethel Brown
Producer
2021
The Pursuit of Love (TV Mini Series) (executive producer - 3 episodes)
- Episode Three (2021) - (executive producer)
- Episode Two (2021) - (executive producer)
- Episode One (2021) - (executive producer)
Soundtrack
2022
Pam & Tommy (TV Mini Series) (performer - 1 episode)
- I Love You, Tommy (2022) - (performer: "Getting to Know You" - uncredited)
2019
Yesterday (performer: "I Want To Hold Your Hand")
2019
Comic Relief: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Yet Again (Short) (performer: "When I Kissed the Teacher")
- Review of the Year 2018: Part 2 (2018) - (performer: "When I Kissed the Teacher", "Waterloo")
- Mamma Mia! (2018) - (performer: "Waterloo")
2018
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode)
- David Spade/Lily James/Charlie Puth (2018) - (performer: "Part of Your World", "Kiss from a Rose" (uncredited))
2018
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (performer: "When I Kissed the Teacher", "Waterloo", "Why Did It Have to Be Me?", "I Have a Dream", "Andante, Andante", "The Name of the Game", "Knowing Me, Knowing You", "Mamma Mia", "My Love, My Life", "Super Trouper")
2015
Cinderella (performer: "Lavender's Blue", "Oh, Sing Sweet Nightingale", "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes")
Self
-
Baywatch: The Documentary (Documentary) (completed) as
Self
2023
EE BAFTA Film Awards (TV Special) as
Self
2023
The 28th Annual Critics' Choice Awards (TV Special) as
Self - Nominee
2023
80th Golden Globe Awards (TV Special) as
Self - Nominee
2015
Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #42.2 (2022) - Self
- Episode #41.169 (2022) - Self
- Episode #41.153 (2022) - Self
- Episode #41.116 (2022) - Self
- ET From Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (2019) - Self
- Episode #37.271 (2018) - Self
- Episode #37.267 (2018) - Self
- Episode #37.265 (2018) - Self
- Episode #36.238 (2017) - Self
- Episode dated 13 March 2015 (2015) - Self
2022
The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards (TV Special) as
Self - Nominee
2022
BILD LIVE (TV Series) as
Self - Pam & Tommy
- S2E9 (2022) - Self - Pam & Tommy
2022
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors (TV Series) as
Self - Interviewee / Interviewer
- Martin Short, Jean Smart and more (2022) - Self - Interviewee / Interviewer
2022
The Oscars (TV Special) as
Self - Presenter
2015
Extra (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #28.159 (2022) - Self
- Episode #27.35 (2020) - Self
- Episode #23.244 (2017) - Self
- Episode #23.241 (2017) - Self
- Episode #22.103 (2016) - Self
- Episode #21.126 (2015) - Self
2022
The 37th Film Independent Spirit Awards (TV Special) as
Self - Presenter
2022
Fan Questions (TV Series) as
Self - Guest
- Sebastian Stan and Lily James Answer Your Fan Questions (2022) - Self - Guest
2016
The Late Late Show with James Corden (TV Series) as